|

Special Educational Needs – FAQs

What are learning difficulties?

A child has learning difficulties if he or she:

• finds it much harder to learn than other children of the same age;
• has a disability which prevents him or her from using ordinary educational facilities; and
• has emotional or behavioural difficulties which may have a detrimental effect to their learning process.

What kind of special provision is available for children with learning difficulties?

The school can provide additional support from a class room assistant or from more specialist professionals for example a Specialist Teacher, an Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language therapist or another health professional.

Special provision is available for children with

• learning needs across the curriculum;
• learning needs that are associated with language skills
• specific learning difficulties;
• sensory or physical difficulties
• behavioural or emotional needs or
• a combination of any of the above needs

Support may be provided within a mainstream school, a specialist unit attached to mainstream school or within a special school.

What can you do if you are concerned about your child’s progress at a mainstream school?

If you are worried about your child’s progress at school, you should first discuss your concern with the Head Teacher. The school will put strategies in place to help your child and may draw up and Individual Education Plan (IEP) for him/ her.

 

What is an IEP?

An Individual Education Plan targets very specific areas for learning and describe the process by which the child will be taught. Schools will draw up an IEP for a child if they are concerned about their educational progress in certain areas. Usually the school will put in place at least three IEP’s before contacting outside agencies for help.

What is Provision Mapping?

Provision mapping is a way of documenting the range of support available to pupils with SEN within the school and can be used as part of the planning process in a variety of ways

 

What is a statutory assessment of SEN?

This is a process which parents and all professionals who are involved with the child assess his/her strengths and weaknesses and highlight areas of need. Usually a request for a Statutory Assessment will be made by the school or pre-school setting. However, a parent can ask the LA to make a statutory assessment of a child by writing direct to the Special Educational Needs Team at Hopton House. The LA’s SEN Panel considers all requests and gives direction to the SEN Team to arrange an assessment. A statutory assessment of your child’s need may lead to a statement of Special Educational Needs.

What is a Statement of Special Educational Needs?

A statement sets out a child’s special educational needs and describes the provision to be made to meet those needs. If the advice collated during the statutory assessment indicates the need for a statement, the LA will issue this and arrange appropriate provision.
Parents can express a preference for a particular school.

Statements are reviewed annually and will cease if a child’s progress is such that there is no longer a need for it to be maintained.